United States
Long Beach (Los Angeles), CA
Long Beach, California: The Queen Mary, the Aquarium, and the LA Gateway
- Port traffic
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What Cruise Travelers Should Know About Long Beach
The Long Beach Cruise Terminal sits next to the Queen Mary's dock, a short free-bus ride from downtown Long Beach. Some Los Angeles sailings use a different terminal, the World Cruise Center in San Pedro, beneath the Vincent Thomas Bridge, so check which one your ticket names.
- When ships are in, taxis and shuttle services serve the Long Beach terminal, including to local airports and hotels.
- The free Passport bus links the Queen Mary with downtown Long Beach, the Aquarium of the Pacific and the waterfront.
- Downtown Los Angeles is about 20 miles north; the Metro A Line light rail runs there from downtown Long Beach.
- Long Beach Airport is in the city, and Los Angeles International is about 22 miles away.
Long Beach on Your Own
Most people board or leave a ship here, so time on your own usually means a few hours before or after a cruise. The waterfront is compact: the Queen Mary is beside the terminal, and the aquarium and downtown are a free bus ride across the harbor.
- The Queen Mary: The liner is moored beside the terminal and offers tours of the ship. It is also a hotel.
- Across the harbor: The free Passport bus runs from the Queen Mary to the Aquarium of the Pacific, Shoreline Village, Pine Avenue and downtown hotels. Long Beach Transit's water taxis also cross the harbor.
- Shoreline Village: This waterfront shopping and dining area, also called Rainbow Harbor, is next to the aquarium.
- Into Los Angeles: The Metro A Line runs from the Downtown Long Beach stations to downtown Los Angeles, with connections onward. Check the journey time before you plan a day around it.
- Getting back on time: If you are on a port call rather than boarding here, all-aboard is usually about 30 minutes before sailing, and your ship posts the exact time. A ship will not wait for passengers touring on their own, and Los Angeles traffic can turn a short drive into a long one.
Getting Around Long Beach
Downtown Long Beach and the waterfront are easy without a car, thanks to the free Passport bus. For the wider Los Angeles area, the Metro A Line runs from downtown Long Beach to downtown Los Angeles.
- The Passport is a free Long Beach Transit bus serving the Queen Mary, the aquarium, Pine Avenue, Shoreline Village and downtown hotels.
- Long Beach Transit buses take cash in exact change, the TAP app, or a credit card on board.
- The Metro A Line, which opened in 1990 as the first line of Los Angeles's modern rail system, runs from downtown Long Beach to downtown Los Angeles and on through Pasadena. Late at night, not every train has security staff aboard.
- Taxis and shuttles serve the cruise terminal when ships are in.
- Ferries to Catalina Island leave from downtown Long Beach.
Where to Eat in Long Beach
Shoreline Village on the waterfront and Pine Avenue downtown are the nearest places to eat. The Queen Mary has its own restaurants and bars aboard.
- Shoreline Village has seafood restaurants with views across the harbor to the Queen Mary.
- Belmont Shore, east along the beach, has many bars and restaurants on 2nd Street.
- Downtown Long Beach centers on 1st Street and Pine Avenue, a short ride on the free Passport bus.
Tipping in the United States
Tipping is expected in the United States. At a restaurant with table service, 15 to 20 percent of the bill before tax is customary, and many people leave more; some restaurants add a service charge automatically, often for large groups, so check the bill first.
- Taxi drivers are usually tipped 10 to 20 percent.
- In 2026, tour guides were often tipped around five to ten dollars per person for a day.
- Bartenders are typically given a dollar or so per drink, or 15 to 20 percent of the tab.
- Foreign currency is almost never accepted; pay in US dollars or by card.
Culture in Long Beach
Long Beach is the second-largest city in Los Angeles County, with about 450,000 people, and among the most culturally diverse cities in the United States. In the 1950s it was nicknamed "Iowa by the sea" for the many Midwesterners who moved here.
- California State University, Long Beach, one of the largest universities in the state, is in the city.
- The Grand Prix of Long Beach, an IndyCar race, runs through downtown streets each April.
- The East Village, east of Long Beach Boulevard downtown, is the city's arts district.
Long Beach History: Oil, Aviation, and the Queen Mary
Long Beach grew from cattle ranches into a seaside resort, then an oil town, an aircraft center and one of the busiest ports in the country. In 1967 the city bought the Queen Mary and moored it in the harbor for good.
- The Tongva: Before the Spanish arrived, the Tongva people had at least three major settlements here, including the coastal village of Povuu'nga, which they regarded as their place of origin.
- The ranchos: In 1784 the Spanish crown granted the land as Rancho Los Nietos. In 1844 Juan Temple built the adobe ranch house at Rancho Los Cerritos that still stands.
- A new town: Settlers laid out a farm community in the 1880s, and its developers renamed it Long Beach. The city was incorporated in 1897.
- The resort years: The Pike, an amusement zone on the beach, ran from 1902 until 1969.
- Oil, 1921: Oil was found on Signal Hill in 1921, and in the 1920s the Long Beach field was the most productive in the world.
- The 1933 earthquake: A magnitude 6.4 earthquake struck in 1933 and killed 120 people, most of the damage falling on unreinforced masonry buildings, especially schools.
- War work: Douglas Aircraft's Long Beach plant rolled out its first plane on December 23, 1941, and built transports and bombers through the war.
- The Queen Mary: Cunard retired the liner in 1967 and the City of Long Beach bought it. It left Southampton for the last time on October 31, 1967, and opened to visitors in 1971.
- The modern waterfront: The Metro rail line to Los Angeles opened in 1990, and the Aquarium of the Pacific opened in June 1998.
- To learn more ashore: The Rancho Los Cerritos Historic Adobe at 4600 Virginia Road, a National Historic Landmark, tells the story of the ranch that became the city; check opening days before you go. The Queen Mary itself, at 1126 Queens Highway, runs tours on the liner's history.
Long Beach with Children and Families
Long Beach is an easy place to spend a day with children before or after a cruise, because the main sights are on the waterfront and the bus between them is free. The aquarium suits every age, and the Queen Mary adds a ship to explore.
- Younger children: The aquarium's touch pools let children feel rays and small sharks. Children under 3 need no ticket, and reservations are required on weekends and holidays.
- School age: The aquarium's Lorikeet Forest is a walk-through aviary. The Queen Mary offers several guided tours, including a Ghosts and Legends tour.
- Teenagers: Shoreline Village, with its shops, restaurants and lighthouses, is next to the aquarium, and the free Passport bus makes it easy for older children to get around the waterfront.
- The beach: Long Beach City Beach runs for about four miles east of downtown; lifeguard cover is limited outside peak hours.
Accessibility in Long Beach
The aquarium and the Passport bus make the waterfront the most accessible part of a Long Beach visit. Ask your cruise line about accessible transfers before you sail, since vehicles with a ramp or lift should be booked ahead.
- The Aquarium of the Pacific and its exhibits can be reached in a wheelchair, and the information desk lends wheelchairs at no charge.
- The touch pools are open to wheelchair users, and staff will help if asked.
- Blind visitors can borrow an audio tour and ask for a Braille guide, and families who need a quieter visit can borrow a free kit with headphones.
Shopping in Long Beach
For a short visit, the shopping closest to the cruise terminal is at Shoreline Village on the waterfront and in downtown Long Beach. Retro Row, on 4th Street east of Walnut Avenue, has clothing boutiques, coffee shops and theaters.
- The Queen Mary has a shopping promenade on board.
- Downtown Long Beach has the Pike and City Place shopping centers.
Long Beach City Beach
Long Beach City Beach stretches about four miles along Ocean Boulevard east of downtown, with access points every few blocks. The water is usually fine for swimming.
- Lifeguard cover is limited, and no lifeguard is guaranteed outside peak hours.
- The Belmont Veterans Memorial Pier is at Grand Avenue, and Belmont Shore nearby has restaurants and bars.
- Rosie's Dog Beach is the stretch where dogs are allowed.
- The beach is free, but most parking along it is paid.
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